I love my copy of the Hummingbird Bakery recipe book – I must say that this has got to be the best cookbook I’ve ever bought. Too often we (well, me) are seduced by the beautiful scrumptious pictures in recipe books, where everything looks so perfect and dewdrop-fresh….and fail miserably when these recipes are repeated at home. Or if you’re like me, have a look at the ingredients/instructions and then just decided to not bother and salivate over the pictures instead.

After making batches of cakes & cupcakes from the book (mostly beautiful results, until I start subsituting inggredients with low-fat stuff and cocoa powder with flour) I just had to see for myself whether the book replicates what’s served in the bakery. And seeing that we were heading down to London for the 1000 heads event anyway, I just had to have breakfast there.

There are two branches in London at the moment, with the third planned for November. The nearest branch to our hotel was the bakery at South Kensington, so off we went on a lovely Sunday morning. We drove, but if you’re heading there by tube, its just literally 100 yards to the right as you come out of South Kensington station. Go past the Cafe Nero and you’ll be duly rewarded…

The first thing that hits you when you open the doors to heaven is the color scheme of pink and brown (one of my fav color combo!), which was replicated in the book. The walls are tastefully decorated with framed prints of cupcakes, adding on to the shabby chic atmosphere. Beautiful cakes are all proudly displayed in the open on their own little counter. A more traditional glass chiller thingy keeps the beautifully iced cupcakes from prying hands. Baskets and trays overflowing with muffins, flapjacks, brownies ect are stacked haphazardly on top of the chiller and on the main counters, tempting you to sin further. It was really like a dream come true…felt like I was stuck in a child’s dream of all that is good and yummy.

Everything was so pretty…..just like in the books…

I love the baby cupcakes on the walls

The mouth watering display…I can feel my dentist calling out my name..

cakes cakes and more cakes

cupcakes cupcakes and more cupcakes..

It was very hard to pick one cake….but I needed to try the traditional Red Velvet whilst bacon went for the scrumptious carrot cake. I had to take some away as well….the boxes are just too pretty to NOT takeaway! I stuck with cupcake and got the chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting in pink

Chocolate cupcake with pink vanilla frosting

And bacon went with what could only be described as a giant Oreo…

The server got slightly confused and instead of serving us the carrot cake, packed it up for takeaway. Must’ve been confused with our mixed up takeaway/eat in orders. It saved us about 50p anyway – yes, the Hummingbird is THAT sort of bakery that charges you extra for eating in. Whilst we were sat outside enjoying our cakes, a stream of tourists (rucksack, camera, sturdy walking shoes and map in hand) left the bakery with a cupcake in hand and proceeded to munch on it right outside. Fair enough, it IS cheaper, but this sort of beauty requires a prerequisite amount of worship….I stared at mine from many angles for at least five full minute before daring to dig in..isn’t my life exciting. Bacon had a skinny latte as well…and it was definately very delicious coffee, thick, aromatic, with a dollop of milk…

Back to the cakes; my red velvet lived up to its name. Deep red sponge tasting of chocolate, the cake itself was not sickly sweet, the way I like my cake. However, if you are adverse to E numbers, the actual recipe calls for a WHOLE bottle of Dr. Oetker red food coloring to make a dozen cupcakes. So beware. PS: if it tastes slightly bitter, it’s the cocoa powder, not the coloring – I’ve tried the red velvet without the red coloring and it tastes the same. The buttercream frosting was just a teeny tad too much, but it does serve its purpose of sweetening the cake. Just leave some of the frosting if you’re in the anti-sugar brigade.

Bacons’ carrot cake was simply amazing. I love walnuts, and most carrot cake that uses walnuts only use a few, as it is not that cheap. The Hummingbird just literally went crazy and stuffed the cake full of walnuts! How beautiful! Fair enough, at £4 a slice it’s nowhere near cheap, but you do get quality inggredients.

The three layer sandwich cake was slathered on with their signature cream cheese frosting. Mmm. There was definately too much frosting at play here, but I helped finish the whole lot anyway – and felt slightly sick after. Well worth it.

Sigh….what a wonderful orgasmic breakfast…perfect start to a lovely Sunday. Or Monday, Tuesday…..

The Hummingbird Bakery
47 Old Brompton Road
South Kensington, London
SW7 3JP
Hours: 10.30am – 7pm daily
tel: 020 7584 0055

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